FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(ATLANTA, GEORGIA) – The Atlanta Journal-Constitution sweeps the 2016 SPJ Region 3 Larry Peterson Memorial Award for Investigative Journalism by winning the grand prize for overall professional category for its series, “Doctors and Sex Abuse.” AJC Senior Editor for Investigations Lois Norder also wins an individual Larry Peterson Memorial Award for Investigative Journalism for her work the series.

The partnership of the Society of Professional Journalists – Region 3 and the Savannah Morning awards the Larry Peterson Memorial Award for Investigative Journalism annually to recognize journalism professionals and students who have produced quality investigative reporting in either broadcast, print, online or radio from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.

The AJC journalist team for “Doctors and Sex Abuse” includes Danny Robbins, Ariel Hart, Ryon Horne, Jeff Ernsthausen, Carrie Teegardin, Richard Watkins, Lois Norder.

Other support team members also to receive honor include Shawn McIntosh, Scott Peacoke, Emily Merwin, John Perry, Ashlyn Still, Kiersten Schmidt, Mark Waligore, ArLuther Lee, Michelle Miller, Jim Pelfrey, Sandra Brown, Michelle Kerr, Lauren Colley, Adam Carison, Jaime Sarrio, Monica Richardson, Johnny Edwards, Alan Ladd, Jennifer Peebles, Mario Guevara, Jerrel Floyd, Becca Godwin, Jane Hammond, Fred Broschart, Carolyn Crist, Todd Leopold, Kirsten Rasmussen, Cameron Tankersley, Brian O’Shea, Maria Bastidas, Bert Roughton, Drue Miller, Leigh-Ann Oberg, WSB-TV Investigative reporter Jodie Fleischer; investigative producer Josh Wade, WSB-TV interns Leighton Rowell, Adhiti Bandlamudi, Miguel Martinez.

The Georgia News Lab also takes the grand prize for overall collegiate category for their work on AJC’s  “Many Atlanta judges flout state ethics laws – and don’t pay their fines.” Leighton Rowell and Becca J.G. Godwin will win individual Larry Peterson Memorial Awards for Investigative Journalism. Also honored for the Georgia News Lab work with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution include Adhiti Bandlamudi, Lauren Booker, Gabe Cavallaro, Adjoa Danso, Allie Dean, Jerrel Floyd, Miranda Hawkins and Izzi Hughes.

Peterson, a political writer and editor for the Savannah Morning News, passed away in 2014 from cancer. He worked for over 40 years in the journalism industry and in investigative work. His wife, Lanie Lippincott Peterson, a SPJ Georgia member and reporter for the Savannah Morning News, established this award to honor her husband’s work in investigative journalism.

The Larry Peterson Memorial Award for Investigative Journalism will be entering into a spring award season in spring 2017 within the Green Eyeshade Award circuit. The Larry Peterson Award Workshop is planned for April 2017 in Savannah, Georgia.

Sponsors for the 2016 Larry Peterson Memorial Award for Investigative Journalism include Tate Law Firm, Savannah State University Department of Journalism & Mass Communications, the Society of Environmental Journalists and the SPJ Florida Chapter.

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